Anthony Diaz 8/28/25 Anthony Diaz 8/28/25

A Healthy Church

We are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. 1 Corinthians 3:9 NLT.

The word church comes from a Greek word, ecclesia, which means “to call out.” The church is composed of all those true believers from Pentecost onward who are united together in Christ. The Bible teaches that we are the body of Christ, of which He is the Head (Ephesians 1:22–23). Within the vast complexities, bureaucracies, organizations, and institutions of Christendom there exists the true body of Christ. They are the ones who have their names written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:27). They are scattered in all denominations, and many are in no denomination at all. This is the church against which Christ promised the gates of Hell would never prevail (Matthew 16:18). The church needs to be called back to biblical authority. The Protestant church today is possibly as far from the authority of the Scriptures as was the Roman church in the sixteenth century. We desperately need a new reformation within the Protestant church. Only a healthy church can help a sick world. Much social action today is nothing but sheer humanism. True members of the church are those who have been transformed by the power of Christ. The changing of people’s hearts is the primary mission of the church. To proclaim the entire gospel of Christ is the only answer to mankind’s deepest needs.

Graham, Billy. Truth for Each Day : Daily Devotions to Renew Your Mind and Inspire Your Soul (a 365-Day Devotional), Thomas Nelson Incorporated, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=30516542.
Created from liberty on 2025-08-26 15:56:30.

Anthony Diaz 8/27/25 Anthony Diaz 8/27/25

Blessing From God

Children are a gift from the LORD. Psalm 127:3 NLT.

A study of world history reveals that there isn’t a single time when conditions were ideal or the future was not unstable. Even when social and political circumstances have been reasonably good, the world has been ravaged by natural disasters, plagues, and war. While modern medicine has removed many of the things that threatened life only a generation or two ago, modern technology has developed weapons of mass destruction that can wipe out entire civilizations. But thankfully, God is in control of the future. The Bible gives many examples of harsh times. The Jewish people were carried away into captivity and faced a dismal future because of their disobedience, but Jeremiah told them, “Marry and have sons and daughters. . . . ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to . . . give you hope and a future’ ” (Jeremiah 29:6, 11 NIV). This does not mean everything will be easy in life. But our responsibility is clear: if God gives children to us, we should do whatever we can to strengthen them spiritually so that they, too, can face the future with a confident hope in God and be an example to others. Children, indeed, are a blessing from the Lord, and parents should raise them up to love Him, obey Him, and become witnesses for the Lord who brings peace and joy to families.

Anthony Diaz 8/26/25 Anthony Diaz 8/26/25

Joyful Obedience

“I have come . . . not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:38.

Just to say “believe in Jesus” can produce a false assurance of salvation because even the devil “believes in Jesus.” To believe in Jesus is to turn from a life of sin, receive Him as Savior, and follow Him as Lord by obeying His Word. When this happens, a person’s desires change. When Jesus traveled the countryside, great crowds sought Him. But He knew the people desired to see His great miracles more than hear His words, so He told them: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost?” (Luke 14:28). When He began to tell them that He would soon die and be raised to life again, many people left Him and “walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). They didn’t want to follow someone who promised eternal life if it meant the cruelty of death. They were disciples in name only—and they walked away from the truth because their faith was insincere. Jesus paid the cost of our salvation with His blood, but there is a cost to following this wonderful Savior. Do not miss the glory of walking with the One who loves you and cares about everything that happens in your life. Those who truly believe in Him will want to obey Him with joy, no matter the cost.

Anthony Diaz 8/25/25 Anthony Diaz 8/25/25

Be Of Good Courage

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast. Hebrews 6:19.

There is a longing in our hearts for happiness. The human spirit also groans for something new. We run after hope as though it has magical power. We trick ourselves into believing that if everything lines up just right, we’ll gain hope and success. But true hope is a sure thing, and it is only found with certainty in the man Jesus Christ. The history of mankind has been a continuous series of half successes and total failures. Prosperity exists for a time, only to be followed by war and depression. Civilizations have come and gone. Success is worshiped, and God is disdained. Pleasure takes precedence over purity, and gain has priority over God. People still battle with the same problems over and over again. One day, the fluctuations of time, the swinging of the pendulum from war to peace, from starvation to plenty, from chaos to order, will end forever because the Bible says, “And of His kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:33). Determination is only part of realizing hope. True hope is not dependent upon us but rather where our hope is anchored. “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all [you] that hope in the LORD” (Psalm 31:24 KJV). We can walk in the “newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Place your trust in the God of hope.

Anthony Diaz 8/24/25 Anthony Diaz 8/24/25

The Source Of All Things

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 NIV

A person’s self-esteem is often tied to his or her work. Losing a job can be very traumatic. When someone is laid off or fired, it can have a serious psychological effect. In our culture, men and women often define themselves by the jobs they hold. If you listen closely, you’ll hear people be introduced by their name, followed closely by their job title. This usually happens when their work is in a field that is highly visible or exciting. But a person’s job tells you nothing about a person’s character or value. It is wise to help others understand that personal worth is not tied to a job. Many people have lost one job only to find that this was God’s way of redirecting their lives. Be an encourager by pointing to God, acknowledging His provision for those who will look to Him as the Source of all things. This can also be an important time for spiritual growth. If a person is not a believer in Christ, losing a job could be God’s way of getting one’s attention, opening the way to consider the need for salvation and for God’s direction in life. For those who know the Lord, pray that they will rely on the Lord to reveal the next step in life, because He promises never to leave nor forsake us.

Anthony Diaz 8/23/25 Anthony Diaz 8/23/25

Keep God’s Word At The Center

The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom. Job 28:28.

Science is learning to control just about everything but man. More important than electricity, technology, and medicine are the issues of the heart. Solve the problems of hate, lust, greed, and prejudice and the world would be a different place. Our future is threatened by many dangers, but they all stem from the heart. Greater than the enemy outside is the enemy within—sin. No matter how advanced their progress, civilizations that neglect their spiritual and moral lives will eventually disintegrate. This is the history of mankind, and it is our problem still today. Science cannot change the seasons, the rising of the sun, or the setting of the moon. Nor can man’s knowledge change human nature. When doubt reigns, faith cannot abide. Where hatred rules, love is crowded out. Much of the world in search of knowledge ignores God. Today we have more knowledge than at any other time in history. In seconds, our computers can call up information about a topic that took years to collect. We are the most informed people in the history of civilization—and yet the most confused. Though our heads are crammed with knowledge, our hearts are empty. But where man has failed, God has succeeded. Keep His Word at the center of life and remember what the Bible says, “The fear [reverence] of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7).

Anthony Diaz 8/22/25 Anthony Diaz 8/22/25

True Believers

Christ is all and in all. Colossians 3:11.

Many people who call themselves Christians actually doubt the authority of the Scriptures, believing in a god of their own imagination. Jesus Christ has been robbed of His deity. There are prominent preachers that suggest large passages of God’s Word be eliminated. Beware! The truth of Jesus the Christ can be a disturbing thought. He did not come the first time to bring peace, though He will return as the Prince of Peace. He came to show mankind our sin against Him. He came to take our place for the penalty of sin. What a Savior! Scripture warns that multitudes will reject that message, and we see that happening today. There is a cost to being a Christian, and the cost for many is too great because they must forsake the lure of materialism and secular pleasure. There is a sense in which Christ cannot be separated from anything that pertains to life. True Christianity is dependent on a personal relationship with God, not on externals. No pagan philosophy, no atheistic ideology, no deep sorrow can dislodge the joy of living as a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is big enough to cope with the gigantic social problems of the ages. In himself, man does not have the capacity to do this, but Christ provides all that we need to live in this sin-sick world with victory.

Anthony Diaz 8/21/25 Anthony Diaz 8/21/25

Repentance

Do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. Galatians 5:13 NIV.

The Bible asks, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” (Romans 6:1 NIV). It is dangerous to be so flippant about sin as though God turns His eyes away. God’s forgiveness is always connected to the sinner’s repentance. Repentance involves a recognition on our part that what we are doing is wrong, and it also involves a deliberate turning from sin as well. It is not enough to know that what we are doing is wrong in God’s eyes. We also are commanded to turn from it. Jesus declared that He came to Earth to call sinners to repentance (Luke 5:32). Paul stated that God commands all people everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). Many other verses could be quoted. We make a mockery of God’s forgiveness when we deliberately engage in sin because we think He will forgive it later. People deceive themselves while believing that they will find true happiness while sinning. Rejecting God is embracing a life of sin. The Bible warns that wickedness is like a tossing sea, restless and casting up mire and mud (Isaiah 57:20–21). For the Christian, the most powerful thing to do on behalf of those steeped in sin is to pray that God’s Holy Spirit will infiltrate their minds and hearts and respond in repentance, desiring to do God’s will and live according to His Word.

Anthony Diaz 8/20/25 Anthony Diaz 8/20/25

No Boasting In Heaven

“Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” Matthew 6:20.

There will be no egos in Heaven. “Nothing impure will ever enter [Heaven], nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful” (Revelation 21:27 NIV). When we reach Heaven, there will be no opportunity to brag of our exploits, our ambitions, or the joys of our pleasure; but we will have eternity to rejoice in how the Lord blessed our lives in the midst of hardship and blessing. We will fully understand that it was Christ who lived in us and glorified Himself in our weaknesses. We will be blessed to serve our Lord and Savior. Moses gave up all earthly glory and possessions to identify with God’s people. He was the adopted child of an Egyptian princess, but he gave up the kingdom and crown of Egypt to be a child of God. He was educated in the finest schools, but he gave up the prestige to learn the wisdom of God. He gave up the royal scepter to be rich in God’s law. The prophet was known as a shepherd, a leader, a deliverer, a lawgiver, and a judge. But Moses said, “O my Lord, I am . . . Your servant” (Exodus 4:10); and when he died, God spoke of him as “Moses My servant” (Joshua 1:2). While the Bible teaches us to store up treasures in Heaven, the greatest treasure is in knowing that we will be rewarded by His very presence—forevermore.

Anthony Diaz 8/19/25 Anthony Diaz 8/19/25

The Minor Prophets

“Return to the LORD your God.” Joel 2:13.

The Minor Prophets are not so named because they are of less value than prophets such as Isaiah or Ezekiel. Nor are the twelve books minor in message. They are minor in terms of brevity only; but they are power-packed messages from men whom God appointed and called to deliver His warnings of judgment and His ever-faithful invitation to Israel and its neighbors, saying, “Return to Me.” They provide an important study for those who truly desire to understand the end times. These prophecies will be fulfilled when the Eternal One comes back to Earth. In the last twelve books of the Old Testament, we see the name and voice of almighty God and His message to the world of the last days. Studying names and numbers in Scripture is boring to some, but they carry great significance. The number twelve in Scripture is an eternal number. From Genesis to Revelation, we learn of the 12 patriarchs, 12 sons, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 judges, 12 gates, 12 stones, 12 fruits, 12 angels, 12 apostles, 12 stars, and a heavenly city 12,000 furlongs square. The Bible tells us that after Jesus’ birth, nothing more is revealed about Him until He reached the age of 12, when His first words on Earth were recorded. This number is also foreshadowed when 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel will be saved and evangelize the world in the last days.

Anthony Diaz 8/18/25 Anthony Diaz 8/18/25

The Prayer Life

“Call to Me, and I will answer you.” JEREMIAH 33:3.

Prayer should not be merely an act but an attitude of life. When people have a genuine personal relationship with Jesus Christ as their Savior, they can be assured that God hears their prayers. The wonderful name of Jesus has opened the door to Heaven for us. The phrase “in Jesus’ name” isn’t a magic formula we add in order to make God answer our prayers. God answers our prayers solely because of His Son, Jesus Christ. When we pray, we seek God’s will. This pleases Him because He wants to show us the way to life, the way to peace, the way to Him. We gain access to the Lord by faith in Him, which brings us into His marvelous grace. We should never cease to thank God for the wonderful privilege of prayer. It should be an integral part of our lives, as we see from the example of His followers who gave themselves “continually to prayer” (Acts 6:4). When Jesus walked on this Earth, Scripture shows us that He demonstrated the power of prayer as He prayed to His Father in Heaven. Nothing can replace a daily time spent alone with God in prayer. In the morning, prayer is the key that opens to us the treasures of God’s mercies and blessings. In the evening, it’s the key that envelops us under His protection and safeguard.

Anthony Diaz 8/17/25 Anthony Diaz 8/17/25

The Eternal Soul

The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. PROVERBS 22:4 ESV.

Millions of people are depressed that life has not turned out the way they had hoped. Some people turn to drugs and alcohol to escape. And tragically, more and more people are committing suicide. Too many people believe that if things would go their way, they would live happily. Yet war, poverty, disease, loneliness, boredom, racism, and starvation still run rampant. Life is not meant to be lived according to man’s ways but God’s ways. The Bible teaches that every person has a soul—the part of us that lives forever. If a person commits suicide, they will still exist into eternity. Death merely ends the life of the body, but the soul lives on forever. No one can prove that God exists, but that doesn’t mean that He is not real. God reveals Himself to us in nature, in conscience, and in the Scriptures. He also reveals Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, “In these last days [God] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he also made the universe” (Hebrews 1:2 NIV). God is a holy God, and the Lord is righteous in all His ways—loving toward all He has made (Psalm 145:17). If we will trust Him today, He will meet our needs according to His Word.

Anthony Diaz 8/16/25 Anthony Diaz 8/16/25

Death Is Inevitable

It is appointed for men to die once. HEBREWS 9:27.

The Bible teaches that all of mankind is rushing toward death. Even though wars rage around the globe, it does not increase death because death comes to every generation. Everybody dies. God’s Word teaches that everything has a beginning and an ending. The day begins with a sunrise; but the sun sets, the shadows gather, and that calendar day is crossed out, never to appear again. We will never be able to repeat today. It’s gone forever. Nations and civilizations rise, flourish for a time, and then decay. Each comes to an end. This, because of sin, is the decree of history and the way of life on this planet. Scripture tells us that the world system as we know it will also come to a close someday. All of nature is in the process of dying. Yet most people are living as if they will never die. How gracious is the Lord to give us time to consider life and what happens when we draw our last breath. Every soul should settle this with Jesus Christ now. The Bible says that today is the day of salvation. Do not let another hour go by without receiving Christ and humbly accepting Him as Savior. He waits with loving arms outstretched, ready to receive every repentant heart, with His promise to the redeemed souls of eternity in His presence.

Anthony Diaz 8/11/25 Anthony Diaz 8/11/25

The Human Dilemma

Walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16.

The Bible mentions three enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil. They combine to form a powerful foe to defeat and frustrate God’s plan and purpose in the lives of His people. The word flesh is the biblical word for our old nature, the nature of sin. The apostle Peter knew a great deal about the struggle with the flesh and said, “Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Peter 2:11). We have two natures in conflict, and each one is striving for the victory. The Bible teaches, “For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh” (Galatians 5:17). The flesh is the enemy—the infiltrator—the battle between the self-life and the Christ-life. The old nature cannot please God. It cannot be patched up. However, Scripture does give great hope for us in this conflict, because when Christ died He took us with Him to the cross. The apostle Paul said that he had no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3). He also said, “Make no provision for the flesh” (Romans 13:14). On yet another occasion he said, “I discipline my body and bring it into subjection” (1 Corinthians 9:27). We are to yield completely and surrender ourselves to God. The old nature can be made inoperative, and we can by faith reckon to be dead to sin but alive in Christ (Romans 6:11). Victory can be obtained.

Anthony Diaz 8/10/25 Anthony Diaz 8/10/25

Three Enemies

Walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16.

Anthony Diaz 8/9/25 Anthony Diaz 8/9/25

Power Over Sin

Whatever is born of God overcomes the world. 1 John 5:4.

All authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Jesus Christ. However, the present evil world system does not yet acknowledge His lordship; it is still under the deceiving power of the prince of this world, Satan. But those whom Jesus indwells have authority over the evil one and all his demons. In spite of our human limitations and even our failures, the Lord is sovereignly directing His own work of redemption. We are linked to the vast resources of His power so that we don’t merely “get by” in our lives, but “in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him” (Romans 8:37). And as the context of that inspiring and reassuring passage promises, nothing “shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 39). God can turn the greatest tragedies into that which is for our good and for His glory, for “we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (v. 28). Because Jesus is Savior, because He is Lord, He, by His Holy Spirit, gives us power over sin as we daily walk with Him. And some future day He will take us to be with Him, far from the very presence of sin.

Anthony Diaz 8/8/25 Anthony Diaz 8/8/25

No Other Gods

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29.

At the center of Christianity is the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ, not the practice of religion. Jesus, the Son of God, is the central figure. Many voices make other claims. Atheists say there is no God. Polytheism may allow that Jesus is one of many gods. When people are saved from sin by the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross, the heart must turn from all other gods and turn to the one true living God as revealed in the Scriptures. As believers in Jesus the Savior, we as ambassadors for Christ boldly echo the ringing conviction of the apostle Peter when he affirmed, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The title Christ means “anointed one.” It is the term in the Greek language for the ancient Hebrew word Messiah—the anointed one whom God would send to save His people. As world leaders struggle with insurmountable problems, as storm clouds gather around the globe, they accentuate the brightness of the One who proclaimed, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12). He is the promised Messiah of ancient Israel. He is the hope of the hopeless, helpless Gentiles—which includes most of the population of the world. What a glorious Savior He is!

Anthony Diaz 8/7/25 Anthony Diaz 8/7/25

The Fruit Of The Spirit

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. Proverbs 11:30.

Of all the passages in the Bible that sketch the character of Christ and the fruit that His Spirit brings to our lives, none is more compact than Galatians 5:22–23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” These nine words can be divided into three clusters. The first is love, joy, and peace—these speak of our Godward relationship. The second cluster is longsuffering (patience), kindness, and goodness—especially seen in our relationship with others. The third cluster of faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are especially seen in our inward relationship—the attitudes and actions of the inner self. These three “clusters” are all related to each other, and all will characterize our lives when we abide in Christ and allow the Holy Spirit to do His work in us. No matter how else we bear our testimony for the Lord, the absence of love nullifies it all. There should be no more distinctive mark of the Christian than love. God’s greatest demonstration of love was at the cross where He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. Since we are to love as God does, His children should demonstrate such love by sharing this good news that Jesus came to save the lost. Love is, therefore, an act of the will.

Anthony Diaz 8/6/25 Anthony Diaz 8/6/25

Spiritual Maturity

We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:10.

The greatest need in the world today is for spiritually mature Christians who are not only professing their faith in Christ but who are living it in their daily lives. The moment a person receives Jesus as Savior and Lord, the new life He promises begins. The ultimate goal is that the Christian be conformed to the image of Christ. Each new believer in Christ may immediately face complications, dilemmas, and problems never before encountered. A complete transformation has taken place inside, and adjusting to a new life is not always easy. But Christians do not make this adjustment alone. We are told in the Scriptures that God’s Spirit immediately takes up residence within us to help us. Still, some people have received Christ but have never matured. They may have gone to church but never grown in faith. They know very little of God’s Word, they have little desire to pray, and they bear few marks of a Christian in their daily lives. Jesus is the only Person who ever revealed absolute spiritual maturity. His attitude and approach in life were mature in every sense of the word. He looked with holy eyes upon a sinful world but was not discouraged or depressed by it. He said to a despairing world, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Anthony Diaz 8/5/25 Anthony Diaz 8/5/25

Living With Integrity

He who walks with integrity walks securely. Proverbs 10:9.

Many people, regardless of spirituality, tend to talk one way and live another, and it is something to guard against. Not too many years ago, honesty was the hallmark of a person’s character. But it seems it has been set aside for an “It’s all right if you don’t get caught” philosophy. But the Bible says, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). A manager told about a religious convention held in his hotel. When the people returned to their rooms, they turned on pay TV; 75 percent turned to the R-rated programming. What a difference there is sometimes between the way we talk and the way we live. One of the real tests of Christian character is revealed in the lives we live from day to day. Consistency is vital in having integrity, which means that if our private lives were suddenly exposed, we’d have no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed. It means that our outward lives are consistent with our inner convictions. What young people want to see in leaders is integrity, honesty, truthfulness, and faith. What they hate most of all is hypocrisy and phoniness. People of integrity can be trusted and are the same whether alone a thousand miles away or at home. The Bible tells us how to do this. “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD” (Psalm 119:1 NLT).